Tribute: Marlene J. McCarthy

Former Trenton resident Marlene Joyce McCarthy, age 83, died peacefully in the company of her family at St. Luke’s Hospital, near her home in Maumee, Ohio, on Saturday, Feb. 4. Mrs. McCarthy was born in Altoona, Pa., on Feb. 12, 1933. She was the youngest of three children born to Anna Laura Lorraine Allen, of Clearfield, Pa., and Robert A. Shartle, of Altoona. She and her late husband, Dennis, lived in Trenton from 1970 until 1981. Three of their five children — Mike (Carol Evans) McCarthy, Patricia (Mark) Gray, Lorraine (Robert) Sadowski, are graduates of Trenton High School. The two other children — John (Jean McDevitt) McCarthy and Dennis (Maria Phillips) McCarthy — graduated from high school in Maumee. After a 16-year career at the Detroit Free Press, Dennis became part owner of a printing facility in New Boston. For 13 years, the company composed and printed weekly and monthly newspapers from various communities throughout Michigan. As their children got older, Marlene and Dennis decided they wanted to work together in the community newspaper business. In 1980, after a few months of planning and with the assistance of their two oldest sons, the couple launched The Community Mirror, as a monthly newspaper in Maumee. Two years later the paper expanded to two issues a month, and continues to publish 37 years later with son Michael now serving as editor and publisher. Mrs. McCarthy served as publisher of The Mirror from 1980-91. She briefly owned a popular Maumee restaurant in 1981-82. In 1985, she founded a publication called The Senior Partner, working closely with her youngest son, Dennis. The governor of Ohio presented her with a “Woman of the Year” award to honor her work with that publication. She was a member of the Maumee Uptown Business Association and the Maumee Chamber of Commerce. Along with her five children, Mrs. McCarthy is survived by eight grandchildren: Denny McCarthy, Bridgette McCarthy, Johnny McCarthy, Michael McCarthy, Joe McCarthy, Mary McCarthy, Jack McCarthy and Patrick McCarthy. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Dennis, in 1989; her sister, Constance (Bernie) Herbert; brother, William Shartle; and half-brother, Clare Eugene Turner. A funeral Mass was held at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Maumee. Interment followed at St. Joseph Cemetery, also in Maumee. The family requests that any memorial contributions be made to The Salvation Army.